Southern California Edison customers can expect their energy bills to increase 2 percent starting in April thanks to a rate hike approved Thursday by the California Public Utilities Commission.

The rate increase will generate an additional $309 million in revenue this year for the utility company. The increase will take effect April 4.

Edison officials said the higher rates are needed to pay for infrastructure improvements to the power distribution system.

Members of the PUC approved the increase during their San Francisco board meeting. Commission President Michael R. Peevey said the rate hike will cost customers an additional $2 on the average residential bill of $85.

“California, like the rest of the nation, must invest a significant amount of capital into our energy infrastructure if we are going to meet our renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals,” Peevey said.

Commissioner Dian Grueneich was the lone dissenter in the 4-1 commission vote.

The increase was opposed by officials with the consumer advocacy division of the California Public Utilities Commission, who said the decision gave Edison excessive revenue increases.

“The cumulative amount of the increases and the resulting rise in electric rate increases will impose an additional financial burden on Edison’s Southern California customers and households during these difficult economic times,” said David Ashuckian, deputy director of the Division of Ratepayer Advocates.

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